


High in Spirit

by halfsweet



Series: Parenthood AU [10]
Category: Bandom, Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco
Genre: Comfort, Family Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Halloween, Implied Mpreg, M/M, Trick or Treating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-11 10:40:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16473995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halfsweet/pseuds/halfsweet
Summary: “Daddy, look!” David appears from their bedroom and runs towards him in his little bear onesie with the ears flapping (and a cute little witch's hat sewn on top of the outfit, courtesy of Gabe), only stopping once he's in front of him, arms raised high in the air. “I'm Scary Little Bear!”





	High in Spirit

**Author's Note:**

> Lame title? yes
> 
> sorry for missing for so long omg hope you guys enjoy this little halloween special!

This is it! Today's the day!

It's the day he's been waiting for the whole year!

_It's David's first trick or treat!_

He's particularly excited for this one because on David's first Halloween, he was just a few months old and he and Patrick spent the night alternating between watching horror movies and watching David sleep. On David's second Halloween, he's just a little over a year old and had spent the night wailing and running around the place butt naked because he refused to put on anything to wear.

But now, on David's third Halloween, the two-year old can already walk and talk and is a hyperactive little thing, so he can't wait to bring David on his first real trick or treat!

“Daddy, look!” David appears from their bedroom and runs towards him in his little bear onesie with the ears flapping (and a cute little witch's hat sewn on top of the outfit, courtesy of Gabe), only stopping once he's in front of him, arms raised high in the air. “I'm Scary Little Bear!”

David scrunches his face, showing off his little baby teeth and making a what could possibly be the cutest growling sound ever.

His chest rumbles with light-hearted laughter that makes him feel as if he's on cloud nine. His son is just  _so_ — there's no word for it! He just wants to pull his son into his arms and hug him and squeeze him and never let him go!

He pulls David up into his arms and pecks him on the cheek, to which David returns the gesture gleefully.

“What's Daddy?”

“Daddy's Scary Papa Bear.”

“Daddy, no.” David whines as he wiggles himself from his hold and stomps in displeasure. “ _I'm_ Scary Little Bear. Daddy pick another Bear.”

He hums and rubs his chin, pretending to think. “Daddy will be Cute Papa Bear. What do you think?”

“No.” The toddler whines again. “ _I'm_ Cute Little Bear. Daddy pick another Bear.”

He pretends to be shocked as he splays a hand across his chest. “You're scary  _and_ cute? That's unfair. Fine, then I'll be  _Nice_ Papa Bear.”

“Noooooo. Daddy,  _I'm_ Nice Little Bear.”

“More like  _Greedy_ Little Bear.”

David frowns, his brows furrowing in the middle in confusion. He's 100% sure David doesn't know what  _greedy_ means, and he's 100% sure that David will say—

“Daddyyyyyyy.  _I'm_ Geedy Little Bear.”

 _There it is._ Does he know his son or what?

Rolling his eyes fondly at his whiny son, he winds his arm around the toddler's little figure and pecking his chubby cheek. “I'll be your Papa Bear. Is that okay with you?”

David breaks out into a toothy grin as he nods eagerly. “Daddy's Little Bear’s Papa Bear!”

His chest bubbles with warmth and affection, and before he knows it, he's already mirroring David's grin. “That's right.”

He pulls the hood of his hoodie over his head, fixing its position properly to show the bear ears sticking up. “See? Papa Bear.”

“My two favourite bears.”

He turns around, seeing Patrick all soft and cuddly in his loose and tan bear onesie. Patrick's cheeks are flushed pink and round from his smile. “You two look  _so_ cute. Smile!”

He picks David up and beams just as Patrick snaps a picture.

“Aww.” Patrick gushes at the picture he's taken as he makes his way over to them, and when Patrick kneels down beside him, he sneaks a quick kiss on his cheek and looks at the phone in Patrick's hand. “Look, you guys are twins.”

Humming, he presses another kiss, but this time to Patrick’s shoulder. “He looks like you.”

Patrick laughs and bumps their shoulder together. “Shut up. You're a terrible liar.”

Then, he turns to David, “you ready for your first trick or treat?”

“Ready!” David chirps, bouncing on his feet and hugging his candy jar to his chest.

“Alright,” he laughs, “what do we say?”

“Treat or trick!”

“Close enough.” He huffs with a smile and stands up, holding David's hand. “Let’s go trick or treating, Little Bear.”

 _“Scary_ Little Bear!”

-

Living in an apartment complex and far from the kind of environment he grew up in, it makes it hard for him to bring David trick or treating. Thankfully, some of the next door neighbour kids are also participating in the activity, knocking on doors and collecting candies on the whole floor.

There is one neighbour, though, that he's been close with since he started living there. Mrs Jenkins. A kind, grey-haired 60 years old woman who lives all alone, but her children and grandchildren do come to visit her on holidays.

Patrick was the one who introduced them to each other when she came over to give them a batch of freshly baked cookies. It turned out that she always bakes cookies and gives them to her neighbours.

Needless to say, David loves her as if she were his own grandmother. 

Now, standing in front of her door, he nudges David to knock on the wood. It doesn't take long for the door to open, revealing a smiling Mrs Jenkins with a bowl of candies in her hands. "Oh, what do we have here?"

He pushes David gently forward. "Go on. What do we say?”

Instead of saying what they had been practicing, David ducks his head down and scurries off to hide behind his legs, then looks up at him with the most pitiful expression he's ever seen. “Daddy…”

He laughs at David's sudden demeanor. “Don't be shy.”

David shakes his head and completely hides himself behind him. Amused by his son's reaction, Patrick crouches down beside him and pulls David towards him.

“It's okay, Little Bear.” Patrick coos, cupping David's face to tilt his head up. “What if we do it together? Is that okay with you?”

“Mama Bear…” David whimpers, clearly still shaken and nervous, but he nods either way. Figures. There are only two things David would do anything for: cookies and his Mama Bear. It's adorable, if he has to say so himself.

“Here, let's say it together, okay?” Patrick smiles at David, encouraging him, and David's shoulders relaxes.

David nods again, albeit slowly. “Okay, Mama Bear.”

“One, two, three.” Patrick counts down, and they both say the words together, though David's voice quieter than Patrick's, “trick or treat.”

“You are one adorable little thing, aren't you?” Mrs Jenkins smiles to David.

David lets out a gasp when Mrs Jenkins drops a few candies in his little brown honey-labelled jar. Beaming, he turns to Patrick, showing him the candies he just received. “Mama Bear, look! I got candy!”

Patrick rubs David's head, between the two bear ears, fondly. “What do we say?”

“Thank you?” David tilts his head in question, and at Patrick's approving nod, he looks up at Mrs Jenkins and repeats it, gleeful.

“You two are raising one fine gentleman,” Mrs Jenkins says with a light-hearted chuckle before straightening her back. “Happy Halloween. Come visit me whenever you like, okay? I'd even babysit little David for you.”

“We know, Mrs J.” Patrick steps closer to her and loosely wrap his arms around her shoulders, hugging her. “You've always been so nice to us.”

“You’re like my own son now, Patrick.” Mrs Jenkins coos, pinching his cheek like she always does to him and David. “And you too, Brendon. Besides, you're one of the few younger neighbours here who don't play loud music in the middle of the night.”

“Right,” he quips with a cheeky grin, “we only have a little human who  _loves_ screaming no matter what time of day it is.”

As if sensing that his Daddy is making fun of him, David makes a loud whine and stomps as he turns around to face him with a scowl and furrowed eyebrows. “Daddy!”

Chortling, he bends down to pinch David's puffy cheek. “You are. You’re so noisy.”

“No!” David denies, his glare no fiercer than a kitten’s. “Not nosy!”

Unable to hold back his laughter, he pinches David’s nose and quickly moves his hand back when David makes a motion to bite his hand. He’s still wheezing from laughter even when he’s already standing up straight, and he only stops when Patrick elbows him.

But even then, he can’t help the small giggle that breaks out every now and then.  _Nosy._ What a cute little angry toddler.

“Thanks again, Mrs J.” Patrick waves to her as he holds David’s hand, a small but very effective attempt to calm David before he explodes into a tantrum. “We’ll see you around.”

“Stop that.” Patrick chides him once Mrs Jenkins has closed her door. “What if he starts crying?”

He stops his giggles and purses his lips instead, pouting. Looks like Patrick’s  _Mama Bear_ has made an appearance on Halloween night.  _Fun._ “He didn’t. The worst thing he’d do is probably climb all over me and scream in my face.”

“Daddy meanie.” David’s voice speaks from beside Patrick, and when he looks down at him, David is pouting up at him.

It’s hard to take offense or be hurt when David is saying it in his bear costume.

“Daddy meanie.” Patrick agrees with a slight stern in his voice, head turning away from him. “Come on, Scary Little Bear, let’s go get more candies.”

Patrick begins walking faster, forcing the two-year-old to almost jog to catch up to him. He stands rooted to his spot, and it’s only when they’re already a few feet away from him that he explodes into another bout of laughter again.

Watching them both stomping away in anger from behind, and in costumes, is possibly the most precious thing he’s ever seen by far. He whisks out his phone and wastes no time taking a picture of them before the moment is gone forever.

Both Patrick and David spin around, eyes narrow and fierce as they glare at him. He bites his lip to keep the laughter in, but it’s itching and scratching the back of his throat that he eventually snorts and starts to double over, letting everything out.

Honestly, it’s really,  _really_ difficult to take Patrick seriously when he’s in that adorable onesie.

“Brendon!”

“Daddy!”

His sides are beginning to hurt, but he just can’t seem to stop himself from laughing. He can’t decide if David takes after Patrick or Patrick learns from David. But either way, he wouldn’t want them to change.

-

After about an hour of trick or treating, they drive to Andy’s store, where Pete insisted to have their small Halloween party there with just their closest friends. He doesn’t mind seeing their—Patrick’s, but his too—friends. He loves hanging out with them, with Gabe and Frank and Joe, but there’s one in particular who doesn’t really…

Who doesn’t really like him and who he really dreads to see.

“Kid.”

“Old man.”  

He presses his lips into a thin line as he and Gerard stare each other down while Patrick and David walk in from behind him and are immediately engulfed in a group hug by the other people in the room. He wants to join in on the hug, but he’s not going to lose this staring contest, especially not with Gerard.

“Okay, that’s enough.” Thankfully, Mikey comes over and pulls Gerard by the elbow. He shoots Mikey a grateful smile—and the older Way a quick glare—before making his way to his family.

( _Family._ His  _family._ He doesn’t think he’ll ever get tired of hearing or saying it. His family. He has his own family now!)

“Uncle Pete!” David cheers, his voice loud against the music playing in the background. “Uncle Pete, look at me!”

“What are you supposed to be?” Pete hums as he crouches down to David’s eye level. He observes him up and down, a hand on his chin as he mimics a thinking pose. “Let me guess. Superman?”

“No!” David's brows furrow as he scowls up at his uncle Pete, displeased that his uncle Pete gets the answer wrong. “I'm Little Bear! Scary Little Bear! See?"

He reaches up and flicks the witch's hat.

“ _Scary_ Little Bear?” Pete gasps, loud and complete with a horrified expression before he hides behind Andy. “Don’t get close to me. Stay there!”

David grins, his cheeks pushed up and flushed as he trots over to Pete. “Scary Little Bear gonna catch Uncle Pete!”

Pete maneuvers around the room, hiding behind everyone as David chases after him with a gleeful laugh. The smile on his face gets impossibly wider watching the commotion between the two. Everyone seems to be enjoying their antics too, with Frank joining in on the chase. He turns his head to see Patrick laughing his heart out next to Joe by the refreshment table.

For a moment, everything blurs out and becomes static as for the first time in months, he finally gets to see Patrick this carefree. The miscarriage was tough on them— Patrick especially, to the point it affected his relationship with David. It did take a while for Patrick to return to his own self, and even after Patrick's relationship with David was good again, he would sometimes catch Patrick tearing up at just a glance of their son.

But Patrick’s better now. He’s spending time out of the bedroom, he’s spending time with him and David, he’s spending time with his friends, and he’s working like usual. He’s healthier, too. And happier. That’s all he ever wanted for Patrick.

“Patrick looks happy.”

He looks to his left upon hearing a voice, and his shoulders relax and tense at the same time when he sees Gerard. He turns his attention back to his grinning boyfriend, who is chatting with Ray and Gabe. David, on the other hand, is still chasing Pete and Frank—and Joe, too—around the room. “He is.”

“I'm still mad at you for knocking him up when you're both drunk, but—” Gerard clears his throat and scratches the back of his neck, “—but, uh, thank you.”

He lifts a brow, perplexed. “For what?”

“I—” Gerard shifts on his foot, his face contorting into an expression that screams uncomfortable. “All this while, I thought of you as a kid— _person—_ uh, a person who's going to leave him the second you got the chance to.

“But after what happened the past few months, the, um, miscarriage and everything, you didn't leave him. So, yeah. Thanks. I owe you an apology.”

His jaw hangs in surprise. Did… did Gerard just  _apologize_ him?

Gerard's eyes narrow into slits. “If you laugh, I'm going to make sure I shave your head bald when you're sleeping. Patrick gave me a spare key to his place.”

He smiles. There it is.  _That’s_  the Gerard he knows. “Don't worry, old man. Already forgot what you said.”

Gerard huffs. “Good.”

“GeeGee!” David squeals, coming up towards them and lifting his arms up, to which Gerard picks him up easily. “I miss GeeGee!”

Laughing, Gerard ruffles his hair and pulls him close for a hug. “I miss my Little Bear, too.”

“ _Scary_ Little Bear, GeeGee.” David corrects him with a whine and a tug to his hair. “Issa Hoween, so I'm Scary Little Bear.”

 _“Halloween.”_ Gerard stresses the word, correcting David’s mispronunciation.

David frowns, tugging at Gerard's hair again, clearly angry. So temperamental for a two-year-old. “Hoween!”

He doesn't even bother hiding his smile at Gerard's pain. He ought to give David some cookies tomorrow.

“Wipe that smile off your face, kid.” Gerard frowns at him, but is quick to place a smile on his face when David looks at him. “Alright, alright. It’s Hoween. You’re right.”

The smug look on David’s face  _really_ does resemble his when his parents caught his brothers playing a prank on him when they were kids.

“‘Course I’m right, GeeGee.” David puffs his chest, proud of himself, before turning to see who’s walking up to them. “Mickey!”

Mikey takes David from Gerard and fixes the bear ears so they’re at the center. “Did you miss me?”

“Miss Mickey!” David, ever the cuddly toddler that he is, wraps his arms around Mikey’s neck. “Mickey bring candy?”

“Does Mickey bring candy?” Mikey hums as he holds David with one arm and slides his hand into the pocket of his costume. Then, he brings up a clear packet, tied at the top with an orange ribbon, to show to David. “Oh, dear. Does this look like candy to you?”

David gasps, his eyes shining like he’s found one of the precious toys he had lost while they were at his parent’s place. “Cookie! Mickey bring cookie!”

“That’s right. Mickey bring cookie for  _Scary_ Little Bear.” Mikey lets him take the item from his hand before placing him down on the floor. “Don’t eat them all in one go, okay? Save some for rainy days.”

Mikey’s words seem to have fallen to deaf ears because David’s already sprinting across the room, shouting  _“Mama Bear!”_ to show him what he just received. Even though he’s on the other side of the room, he can easily make out what they’re saying.

_“Mama Bear, look! Mickey give cookie!”_

“ _Did you say thank you to him?”_

 _“But— Mama Bear! Cookie! Look!_ Cookie! _”_

He shakes his head, amused by the exchange between his boyfriend and their son. He will never  _ever_ , in his entire life—and from the beginning of time and the end of time—get tired of them.

(His  _family._ He loves his family  _so_ much!)

-

Even though the party was just an excuse for them to get together as a group and catch up with one another, it still manages to tire him out and drain his energy like he’s working a full shift. Which is pretty weird, considering that he used to party until 3 or 4 in the morning and still has the energy to go to class hours later.

Huh. Maybe the tiredness comes with being a parent.

David is asleep in his room, out of his costume and in his pajamas and his penguin plush faithfully right by his side. He had been completely spent out an hour and a half into the party, staggering his way towards Patrick and tugging at his costume, demanding to be picked up and was promptly knocked out the second he lay his head on Patrick’s shoulder.

Practically a cue for them to call it a night.

He’s laying in the bed, staring up at the ceiling as Patrick gets under the sheet with him, immediately curling against him. Like a second nature, he winds his arms around Patrick, pulling him close and kissing the back of his neck. “Tonight was fun.”

Patrick hums, rolling over so they’re facing each other and booping him on the nose. “It was. Except for the part where you teased David.”

A breathless laugh escapes him as he holds Patrick’s hand and laces their fingers together. The pout on Patrick’s lips tempts him to kiss him— which he does. “You’re still angry about it? You have to admit, he’s adorable when he’s angry. Like you.”

Patrick lets out a scoff. “You’ve been hanging out with Pete too much.”

“No.” He leans forward, pressing slow kisses on Patrick’s neck and smiling when Patrick’s breath hitches ever so slightly. “David’s just turning out to be more like you every day.”

“What can I say,” Patrick sighs—a pleasured one—as he tilts his head, giving him more access to his neck, “he  _is_ my kid.”

His hand slides up under Patrick’s shirt and rests on his love handle, thumb stroking at the skin, and he revels in the soft sounds Patrick is making. It’s been a while since he’s heard them—long,  _too_ long—and, desperate to hear more, he hovers over Patrick and captures his lips in a kiss.

Patrick’s fingers in his hair encourage him even more as the kiss deepens, drawing every breath from him. Balancing himself on his knees, his hands play at the hem of Patrick’s shirt before pushing it up slowly, which is promptly tugged back down by Patrick. “Wait— Brendon.”

The movement is so quick that it catches him off guard, and he pulls back, bewildered by what just happened. “What?”

“Do you have, uh, condoms?”

“I don't think so?” He scratches his neck, confused. “We've never used one before. Why?”

“Do you think we can start using them now?”

He sits on his calves so he can look at Patrick. “What's wrong?”

“I don't—” Patrick licks his lips, eyes dropping down as if to avoid meeting his. “I don't want to get pregnant. At least, not now?”

“Patrick…” His chest clenches at the way Patrick's lower lip worried between his teeth and the way his brows furrow, like he's going to cry any second.

He knows— _understands_ —why Patrick made the decision. It must've hurt Patrick when he's considering and thinking about it. Patrick has always dreamed of having a big family, of having many kids, but now…

Now, he doesn't.

“I'm sorry.”

Sighing, he settles on his side of bed and pulls Patrick to his side. “No, don't be sorry. I understand.” He caresses Patrick's side to soothe him, then drops a kiss on the crown of his head. “I’m not mad, okay?”

“I know we dreamed of having a big family, but—” Patrick's shoulders shake, and he moves closer to Patrick until there’s no space between them.

“It's okay, you don't have to say anything.” He whispers against the crown of his head, not stopping to soothe him.

For a moment, Patrick’s stuttered breathing is the only thing that sounds in the room, and when he speaks, his voice breaks. “I'm scared. What if—”

He makes a low hushing sound to stop Patrick from continuing the sentence, fingers buried in his hair. “Whatever happens, just know that I'll be with you. I'll be here, and so will David. We have each other.”

Patrick quiets down, his breathing becoming steady with each deep breath he takes. “Do you think the baby would happy with us?”

Kissing the crown of Patrick's head, he smiles as he caresses Patrick's back in a gentle motion. All the stories that David told him about the baby play in his mind. How the baby would keep David up at night because he wouldn’t stop crying. How David would share his toys with the baby just to make him stop crying. He wishes he could see the baby the way David could. “Tiny Bear would. He'd attach himself to David all the time, I’m sure.”

Patrick tenses, pulling back to look at him with furrowed brows. “ _He_? How do you know the baby would be a  _he_?”

He gulps. Shit. He can’t believe he just slipped. What’s worse is that Patrick caught it. How is he going to explain himself to Patrick? That their two-year-old son can see his brother?

He laughs, nervous. “A father's intuition?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever told this to anyone before, but,” Patrick sighs, relaxing atop his chest. Upon hearing Patrick’s shaky breathing, he tangles his fingers in Patrick’s hair, caressing his head to soothe him again. “I had a feeling the baby was going to be a boy, too.”

He stays quiet as he continues to stroke Patrick’s hair. Small sniffles echo in the room, and the sound tugs at his heartstring.

“I miss him.” Patrick whispers, his voice strained and broken and brings a lump in his throat and tears in his eyes. “I didn’t get to see him or hold him, but I miss him.”

“I know.” He says once he’s taken a deep breath, making sure that his voice is steady. “I miss him too, but everything’s gonna be okay, alright? He’d want us to be happy.”

Patrick nods as he wipes his eyes. “Yeah, you’re right.”

“Let’s just sleep. How does that sound for you?”

Patrick nods again, blinking slow and movement sluggish. He can only assume that the emotional conversation has tired Patrick out. Giving one last kiss to the crown of Patrick’s head, he closes his eyes and lets the slow rhythm of Patrick’s breathing lull him to sleep.

And as they fall asleep, a small silhouette lies snuggling between them, golden hair shining under the moonlight.

_“Miss you, Mama Bear.”_

**Author's Note:**

> is anyone still interested in this series? yes? no? well i still do so watch out for next Christmas. Or next year. idk i wanna cry grad school is terrifying


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